Briton swimmer Abigail Slager, '18, spent her summer experiencing living in Chicago. Participating in the Chicago Center for Urban Life & Culture program, the Hudsonville, Mich., native worked downtown at Dori Wilson Public Relations while taking a culture and seminar class.
Slager provided the following reflection about her experience for gobrits.com.
"This experience is even more amazing than I imagined it to be. I'm learning so many new skills, from navigating my way around an unfamiliar city, to working in an office, to living in an apartment with six other students. The most challenging part, so far, has been navigating such a vast city that I had no previous knowledge of. Chicago is a huge city and is always busy, but I am getting used to it.
"I love working downtown and getting to meet new people. Sitting in on meetings has been one of my favorite parts along with exploring the city. I've learned that in a city like this it's all about networking. The interactions that you have day to day, and the people you might meet downtown or on the train will help you develop contacts and can help you further your career.
"As a learning activity this internship and class have been so valuable. One of my goals was to have a summer internship by the time I was a senior, and I couldn't be more thankful that my summer in Chicago worked out. This internship is furthering my experience and understanding of the communications field and helping me realize what I genuinely want to do after I graduate next year.
"Everyday life for me is totally different for me in Chicago. Taking the bus or the train downtown to work every day was something that I had to get used to, as well as how busy the city always is.
"Our cultures and communities seminar has been one of the best experiences of my life. Every Friday as a class we travel to a different neighborhood in Chicago to learn more about the history, culture and people living there. The class has been eye opening and incredible so far. It has been great to see clashing, diverse cultures living so closely together in one city. I've had the experience of a lifetime living in Chicago this summer and I am truly grateful for it!
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